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Grace Dalton

Mrs. Cramer

Comp Pd. 2

23 April 2021

Fairy Tales: More than Fiction

“Once upon a time” is a phrase that children and adults recognize all around the world.

Most fairy tales begin with this phrase, and it has become an important set of words that children

look forward to hearing at story-time. Although some people disagree, fairy tales are a magical

element in children's lives that provide something for them to look up to. Fairy tales benefit

children by helping them to build character and imagination, which in return, promotes learning.

Firstly, most themes found throughout fairy tales allow children to build a sense of

morality that will guide them throughout life. In the fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood,” the

main character learns that she cannot trust the wolf pretending to be her grandmother. The wolf

tries to convince the girl to come closer to him, but she trusts her instincts and escapes the wolf

with her grandmother. This situation allows children to see why they should be cautious of

unfamiliar situations. Wolves are dangerous creatures, and the story makes it clear for children to

understand that the wolf was trying to hurt her. The moral theme of not trusting strangers

presented in the story is something children can apply to their lives, even as they grow into

adulthood (Ness). Fairy tales like “Little Red Riding Hood” show the benefit of the hard lesson

that the main character has learned, and how it can be considered a happy ending. The children

can see that Little Red Riding Hood is safe and that she has learned from her mistakes. Children

understand the consequences of her actions and why she is safe from the wolf.
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Secondly, it is argued that fairy tales give children a false sense of reality. Although true

to a certain extent, as children grow up, this belief will start to decline. Illustrations give children

an idea of what these characters look like, but they do not confirm the belief that those characters

are real. Children are usually reinforced with these ideas through fairy tales, and if they are not

seeing dragons and talking animals in real life, then they will be more likely to understand that

these characters and ideas are fiction. “Depicting the real world combined with fantastic

phenomena in fairy tales compels the child to many reflections and conceptions .” (Klim-

Klimaszewska) Therefore, children find it easier to separate fiction from reality the more they

are exposed to fictional characters and situations.

Moreover, it is suggested that while fairy tales promote learning, they also show children

the bad side of characters. However, villains represented in fairy tales set an example of what not

to follow. In most fairy tales, the villain learns his or her lesson and does not bother the main

character again. This shows the child that the villain was in the wrong, and the actions of the

main characters are more desirable. The bad side of characters is essential to the lesson the fairy

tale is aiming to teach.

Lastly, imagination presented in fairy tales allows children to gain a sense of wonder and

creativity. Dragons and princesses are not found in everyday life, but they are represented in

heavily in fairy tales. As children read the story, they are more likely to wonder about the

characters and the choices they make, because they are different from individuals that they

encounter in real life. In turn, this also emphasizes the lesson of the story, and grabs the reader’s

attention even more. With these examples, they can better understand distinctive character traits

that are represented in fairy tales. For example, a story featuring a knight in shining armor

slaying a dragon, is something a reader would perceive as brave. According to Scholastic, “A

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captivating character is what truly hooks kids on a book or an entire series, which is why the

most popular children's books feature unforgettable figures who kids can relate to or look up to.”

Fairy tales provide children with ideas and character traits that influence them and the way they

interact with the world around them.

In conclusion, fairy tales help children develop a sense of self to use throughout

schooling and their lives. Fairy tales are not just stories, and without them children would not

have something to look up to. Fairy tales act as a guide for children to follow. Supporting and

reading fairy tales to children will continue to help them utilize fairy tales as a learning tool and

life lesson.
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Works Cited

Klim-Klimaszewska, A. "The Effect on Fairy Tales on the Development of Preschool Children's

Imagination." EDULEARN15 Proceedings, 6 July 2015,

library.iated.org/view/KLIMKLIMASZEWSKA2015EFF. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

Ness, Mari. "A Fairy Tale Warning: Little Red Riding Hood." Tor, Macmillan, 2 Feb. 2017,

www.tor.com/2017/02/02/fairy-tales-little-red-riding-

hood/#:~:text=In%20full%20fairness%20to%20the,interpret%20the%20wolf's%20thinki

ng%20correctly. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

Scholastic Parents Staff. "30 Favorite Book Characters That Parents and Their Kids Will Love."

Scholastic, 31 Oct. 2019, www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-

blog/30-favorite-book-characters-parents-say-their-kids-

love.html#:~:text=When%20your%20child%20gets%20invested,with%20a%20new%20

literary%20friend. Accessed 23 Apr. 2021.